Takumi wakes up to find his car fully repaired with a "brand new" engine. Bunta reveals they now co-own the car 50/50 since he used Takumi’s delivery and part-time job earnings to fund the rebuild.

A new rival is introduced—Wataru Akiyama, an elite racer from Saitama who also drives a Toyota AE86 (a turbocharged Levin).

💡 If you're watching the Funimation dub versus the original Tokyopop dub, fans note that the sound mixing for the "overspeed indicator" and engine notes varies significantly between versions.

Episode 9 of , titled "The New Eight-Six," marks a major turning point as Takumi Fujiwara returns to the mountain passes with a significantly upgraded car following his defeat by Kyoichi Sudo. 🏎️ Key Plot Developments

This episode shifts the focus toward technical tuning and the learning curve of a high-performance racing engine. Notable Features in Ep. 9 Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86) Features a new racing engine, bucket seat, and roll bar. Wataru Akiyama Toyota Corolla Levin (AE86) Equipped with a turbocharger and boost meter. Keisuke Takahashi Mazda RX-7 (FD3S)

is noted by fans as a standout track for this part of the series. Ending Theme: "Kimi Ga Iru" by Galla.

The soundtrack in this episode is iconic for fans of the genre. by Sara is prominently featured.